According to the Deputy Director for the Department of Land Resources Conservation, Gilbert Kupunda, the government is optimistic that soil mapping exercise it is conducting to find suitable fertiliser for specific areas would help boost agriculture production.

During the recent agriculture fair, Kupunda said that the department is now producing fertilizers that will solve deficiencies in particular localities. “We will have two seasons trying the fertilizers and we are hopeful that it will work” said Kupunda. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) have been promoting the production of area specific fertilizer with the aim of increasing productivity and incomes among smallholder farmers in Malawi.

The strengthening fertilizer systems through promotion of area specific blending project is being implemented with technical and financial support from Alliance from a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).